


Ride or Die

by coffeehanjan



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, LATER, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Mild Smut, equestrian AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-12
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-15 10:32:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1301698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeehanjan/pseuds/coffeehanjan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren is faced with the chance of a lifetime: to board his horse and ride at the prestigious Trost Ridge Farm, owned by former Olympic equestrian Erwin Smith. It also happens to be home to rising dressage star Levi and his famous steed, Wings of Freedom. Eren struggles to figure out where he— a rough-and-tumble barrel racing hopeful— fits in at such a high-class facility.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pure Morning

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first SnK fic ever. Also the very first time I've uploaded a multi-chapter fic before it was complete (AHH THE PRESSURE). Yay! Let's pop open the champagne, shall we?
> 
> So! First things first- this is going to be heavy on horse/equestrian terms. I'll try to put as much explanation as I can at the end of each chapter, but if there's anything else you don't understand just let me know in the comments! Sometimes I forget what's not common knowledge.
> 
> I don't expect this to get a lot of attention because not everyone is a horse person, but horses are my life and so is SnK so it was only natural for the two to collide at some point. Also I couldn't get the image of Levi decked out in riding gear with a dressage whip out of my head. HA!
> 
> This will be heavy on the Ereri, but I plan on exploring some other pairings throughout. I also hope to bump up the rating later on (hey-hey-heeey). At some point I'm going to link to my tumblr (levi-is-my-heichou.tumblr.com) where I'll have an index of who has which horse and pictures of what the breeds/colors look like. Next chapter will be Levi's POV!
> 
> Enjoy the ride! (pun totally intended)
> 
> EDIT: You can find the index/master post here!!: http://levi-be-my-heichou.tumblr.com/post/79321674348/fic-ride-or-die-master-post

_Eren_

 

My heart pounded in my chest in time with the hoofbeats beneath me. _Da-thump, da-thump_. _Da-thump, da-thump._ I leaned to the outside of the curve as we rounded the lone jump standard— our first makeshift barrel in the lineup. Titan didn't need to be told twice— he wanted to run as badly as I did.

I felt the sculpted muscles ripple beneath me as my horse pivoted expertly, balancing his turn with my weight shift. Adrenaline surged through my veins as my eyes locked on the next obstacle. I kept my reins straight but out of Titan's mouth, letting him run as he pleased. _Da-thump, da-thump. Da-thump, da-thump._

I threw my weight into the opposite foot as Titan swirled around the next jump standard. I couldn't tell my heartbeat from hoofbeats, my blood rushing from the wind whipping at my face, and I didn't care. Everything was blank as we careened through the course; time was simultaneously stagnant and in hyperdrive. I felt like we were slicing through the morning sky as the first rays of sun peeked over the treetops.

 

I felt _free_.

 

At the turnaround, I almost lost my balance. Panic flashed through me as I gripped a handful of black mane, clenching my teeth and pitching my weight forward to correct the mistake. Titan's step almost faltered, and I prayed to any gods that would listen that he wouldn't trip or pull a muscle.

But Titan had lightning-fast reflexes, and the broad shoulders his bloodline had gifted him with shifted our center of balance at just the right moment. I let out a whoop of encouragement as he picked up speed again to finish the course. After we rounded our last pole, I stood tall in my stirrups and let him slow to a canter along the rail. _Thump-da-thump. Thump-da-thump._

Sweat stung in my eyes as our pace gradually slowed to a trot. Titan stretched his neck low and sneezed while I tried to wipe my bangs aside under my helmet. We trotted half a lap before I signaled him to slow to a walk. At this point we were facing the gate again, and I gulped in trepidation as I came down from the high of galloping full-speed ahead.

 

There, at the gate, stood a breathtaking white Lusitano, her muscled neck arched at the perfect angle. Her one blue eye glittered in the sunlight as she tossed her head, her nostrils slightly flared. While the mare was certainly a privilege to behold, I was more focused on the man who began to stroke her nose in a soothing motion, effectively quieting her impatience.

The man stood facing his horse, his slender back turned to me with a black velvet helmet secured under his arm, but his short stature and trademark undercut were unmistakable. As we rounded the ring closest to the gate, the man turned to glare at me with his steely gray, hooded eyes. 

“Are you quite done yet? You're cutting into my ride time,” he quipped. “And those jump standards better be out of the way by the time I've warmed up.”

“Y-yes, Captain Levi!” I stuttered, gathering my reins to steer. “I'm sorry! I'll cool out on foot!”

As we passed the gate, I barely heard him mutter, “Damn straight you will, kid.” My jaw clenched at the remark, but I knew better than to call him out on it. I had just commandeered the outdoor ring without consulting the schedule, after all.

 

I asked Titan to stop in the center of the ring and dismounted with an “oof!” It had been months since I had the opportunity to ride without Mikasa around— which meant I hadn't done barrels for he same amount of time. My legs felt like jelly, and Titan was still breathing heavily. I fumbled with the cinch, painfully aware of he scrutinizing gaze piercing the back of my head at the moment. Once it had been loosened a few notches, I led Titan back through the gate and tried to avoid looking directly at Levi and his mare Freedom.

He tsked as we passed, mumbling, “About damn time” as he led his horse into the ring. I tied Titan to the top rung of the fence and hurried back inside to move the poles back out of the ring.

I most definitely did not let myself appreciate Levi's tight riding pants and fitted polo shirt and the way his tall boots hugged the curve of his calves. No way.

 

Well, maybe just a _little_.

 

Levi and Freedom complemented each other like a custom glove to its hand. And my train of thought was totally not on the way Levi tugged his sleek black riding gloves onto his slender hands, his dressage whip tucked under his arm. Nope.

My throat felt dry, and not just from the workout I'd gotten. I was grateful for the flush already on my cheeks— I would just die if Levi realized I was blushing at him. _Was_ I blushing at him? Shit. I grabbed the first pole and decided to take two at a time to save trips.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Freedom move forward, Levi perched atop her with the perfect amount of release on her reign. The tack was surprisingly spare— just a simple D-ring snaffle bit on a standard bridle with no additional aids. I briefly wondered if Levi shared my distaste for martingales and draw reins, snapping back to reality as I collided with the second jump standard in the ring.

I heard an amused snort from the same direction as Freedom's hoofbeats, and if my face hadn't been red before, it sure as hell was now.

 

“So you barrel race, huh?” The smooth, deep voice snapped me awake immediately and I focused on carrying the two poles to the gate.

“Um, well, not really...” I began, trying to keep my voice from cracking out of nervousness. “That is, Mikasa— my sister— doesn't let me compete or practice, really. Says it's too dangerous. But I can't just leave it alone, so I do it only when she's not around.” I dropped the standards against the outside fence unceremoniously and turned to retrieve the other four. 

Levi hummed in acknowledgement, standing in his stirrups with his reins knotted at Freedom's neck, his arms stretched out wide as if he were flying. I watched curiously while I made my way over to the next two pieces. My thighs burned in an odd kind of sympathy pain at the sight. The mare began to serpentine with no rein direction, relying completely on Levi's leg pressure and shifting center of gravity. As they turned back towards me, I caught a glimpse of Freedom's brown eye; I almost sighed out loud at the sheer beauty of those mismatched eyes.

“You were doing alright until the turnaround,” Levi commented, now lowering himself back into the saddle and twisting around to reach the base of her tail with his left hand. I almost dropped the jump I had just picked up in surprise. Was he... complimenting me? “You're lucky your horse is so intuitive. If he was a half-beat slower or didn't shift his weight at just the right angle, you'd have ended up on the ground.” He switched hands to complete the stretch.

“Y-yeah, I could tell. I'm lucky to have such a great horse.” 

Levi turned to raise an eyebrow at me and I felt my cheeks flush again. Damnit. 

 

“Is he some kind of mustang? He's very toned.”

I nodded, picking up another standard. “Kiger Mustang, actually. I got him as a rescue. He was really skinny and they broke him too early. I was relieved that here was no permanent back damage, but it took a while to train him.”

Levi's eyes widened in surprise at this. “You trained him yourself?”

I laughed as I carried the jumps back out. “I had a _lot_ of help. Do you know Keith Shadis? He walked me through the whole process. Mikasa had an easier job with her horse, but I think Titan turned out alright, all things considered.” Was I really having a conversation with Levi— THE _Captain Levi?_ Dressage champion and Olympic hopeful? Leader of the award-winning Trost Ridge Farm dressage team? I wanted to pinch myself. I lamented the need to hurry my task— both for his sake and Titan's.

“Keith was the one who pointed me in Freedom's direction,” Levi replied quietly. I felt my jaw drop open, but he continued before I could interject. “Titan, is it?” I nodded, jogging out to the last two poles. “He's more than alright. Intuitive, like I said. You can tell he listens to you.” He stood in his stirrups again, this time to reach between Freedom's ears. “He predicts your cues and is attuned to your balance shifts. It almost masks the sloppy little mistakes you make along the way.”

 

I felt my ears redden and reminded myself that any criticism from Levi should be taken seriously if I ever wanted to improve. “What do you mean, exactly?”

Levi hummed to himself again. I was reaching the last jump standard, and I had to hurry to cool out Titan to prevent injury. “Well, you threw your shoulder too far out at the turnaround, and it caused him to drop his own shoulder and almost trip. I know it's not dressage, but you should always collect from the haunches forward. Collection at the turn not only prevents injury and missteps, but helps improve your own balance and stay in the saddle.” His eyes shifted to my face as I picked up the last pole. “You have potential, though. But only if you clean up your form.” 

He shrugged and turned away again, spreading his arms wide and urging his horse into a trot. I tried not to gawk at the grace in not only Freedom's effortless gait, but in the smooth up-and-down rhythm of his hands-free posting. I wasn't very good at posting myself, seeing as the Western discipline rarely utilized it. But I could see how incredibly talented Levi was in the way he glided up and down in his seat with ease. I tore my gaze away and headed back to the gate before he could catch me staring.

 

Titan's neck was still warm, so I quickly removed his saddle and walked him around the outer perimeter of the ring by hand. It was hard not to sneak glances at Levi, who was now posting without the aid of his stirrups, hands gentle and yielding on the reins. Titan's ears pricked at the sight of the lovely mare, but she ignored him as she rounded the corner closest to us. I chuckled to myself and patted him on the neck. “You have great taste, my man.” 

He rubbed his face on my back, trying to scratch the sweat from behind his ears, then sneezed all over the back of my shirt. “Ugh, gross, dude! What was that for? Thanks a lot.” I started walking forward again, wondering if I had actually heard Levi laugh or if I'd just imagined it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH, THERE IT IS. Ok, so terminology time! This won't be exactly chronological- I'll just group it by what makes the most sense.
> 
> (1) The horse breeds: Like I said, I'm going to make my masterpost soon, but just keep in mind this is what the horses look like.  
> Lusitano (Levi's horse, aka the most majestic motherfucker out there): http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/07/66/14/2056972/3/628x471.jpg  
> Kiger Mustang (Eren's horse): http://www.dungenes.org/images/kiger_cougar_r.jpg
> 
> (2) A breakdown of basic horse gaits (walk/trot/canter/gallop): http://www.equusite.com/articles/basics/basicsGaits.shtml
> 
> (3) Dressage (Levi): just know that it's super fancy and looks like this- http://youtu.be/rUc2MWAiY64 (not the best example but it's slim pickin's for picky people like me, haha)
> 
> (4) Barrel racing (Eren): just know that it's fast & furious and that Eren doesn't yank his horse's face around like this because he's awesome- http://youtu.be/CTLSvNcssXQ
> 
> (5) Tack: Saddle, bridle, bit (metal piece for mouth), reins, girth/cinch (to hold saddle on)  
> I also mention martingales and draw reins- this is a touchy area for a lot of equestrians and I don't wanna get into it but I'm in the school of thought that they are unnecessary aids that force horses to keep their heads down. You don't have to worry about what they look like.
> 
> (6) Posting: it's easier to show than explain- http://youtu.be/thpmgolDsbQ (her seat leaves something to be desired but you get the idea)
> 
> (7) Dressage whip: so you get what I mean about Levi. It would be like half his height, hahaha- http://images.greenhawk.com/Type/TackandEquipmentSpursandWhipsDressageWhips.jpg
> 
> (8) Jump standard: http://www.dressagearena.net/images/NewPPSchoolingStandard.jpg
> 
> (9) Eren talks about his horse being "broken"- this just means trained to be ridden, as in "broken in". You really really shouldn't do this until the horse is AT LEAST 4 years old to avoid damage to the vertebrae, but a lot of people don't abide by that rule.
> 
> Guhhh I hope that's not too much. So I'm totally gonna let my opinionated horse side out via Levi, since he has permanent bitchface and I have permanent bitchface and we're birthday twins so it just feels RIGHT. Thoughts??? I'm gonna go hide under my blanket now.


	2. Days Before You Came

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi's POV. He doesn't know what to make of the little green-eyed puppy following him around the barn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Chapter 2! Cookies to anyone who figures out the pattern of chapter titles ;)
> 
> Here's the masterpost/index for your reference: http://levi-be-my-heichou.tumblr.com/post/79321674348/fic-ride-or-die-master-post
> 
> I might tweak minor details in the profiles here and there (I already changed some of the disciplines, which will come into play later on)
> 
> ALSO: HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!! I was hesitant to post this at all because horse-related things can be boring to people not interested, but I'm so so SO happy to see some SnK-adoring-equestrians and just people interested in where the story is going! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! 
> 
> Now, onward!

_Levi_

 

I knew I'd made a mistake talking to that green-eyed kid this morning. Said green eyes were now glittering back at me after I had finished grooming Freedom and turned her out, the boy's surprisingly toned arms crossed over the end of his broomstick. 

I tried to ignore him as I brushed past him to pick up my tack; it was filthy from sweat and grime, and Freedom had gotten grass pieces on her bit, not to mention the blanket would need to be washed immediately—

 

My thoughts were interrupted by his voice, which oozed with a sort of teenage self-consciousness. “I'll put your tack away, Captain.” His hand reached for my saddle but paused in midair at the withering stare I gave him. The corner of his mouth tilted into a frown, and— _damnit_ , I was _not_ focusing on the kid's mouth. 

“While I appreciate the sentiment,” I sighed, lifting the saddle onto my forearm with ease. “I doubt you can clean it to my standards.” His crestfallen pout spurred me to quickly add, “To be fair, _no one_ here can.”

He seemed to be contemplating something, but I had to go study some complex dressage tests in preparation for show season, which would be starting in a month. I also needed to pick up my gym workout and Pilates routine again within the week, as Erwin had reminded me earlier; I had little time to waste. I had already started to walk away when he called out to me. I had every intention of ignoring him, but it was as if my feet had minds of their own— minds that wanted to indulge the puppylike boy behind me. Left without a choice, I turned to raise an eyebrow at him.

 

“Um, well... I don't really clean my tack, usually,” he began, eyes not meeting mine. “So, um, like, I don't know, maybe we could clean our tack together and I'll learn something?” His voice cracked slightly at the questioning intonation, and I wondered just how old this kid really was. If he was still in high school I'd have to throw myself in the river for letting my gaze linger a few seconds too long already.

“What kind of _filthy animal_ doesn't regularly clean their tack?” I grumbled, not missing the slight slump in his shoulders. A sigh escaped my lips. “But okay, all the more reason for me to teach you.” Those green eyes suddenly locked with mine and I felt like I'd been punched in the chest. _Fuck_. “You can't mooch off my leather cleaner, though,” I added hurriedly, already making my way back to the boarder tack room.

 

I set my saddle on one of the wooden stands in the middle of the room, fetching my leather cleaner and a new rag from my locker. The boy scampered over to the locker next to mine— labeled “ _Eren_ ”— and pulled out his worn Western saddle from this morning to place it on an empty stand. 

I had just put my workout saddle pad in the washing machine in the corner when I addressed him again. “Don't you want to wash your blanket? You can put it in with mine.” I watched him scramble back to his locker with narrowed eyes. “... _Eren_.”

I noticed his shoulders hitch at the mention of his name. _Oh, child, you have no idea how much I enjoy easily flustered playthings_ , I thought. _Careful, now_. A smirk tugged at my lips.

He almost tripped on his way back to where I stood, bright turquoise and brown Western blanket in hand. “I, uh, I didn't know you were supposed to wash these,” he mumbled sheepishly. “Doesn't the machine ruin the fabric?” Said blanket was, to my horror, shoved under my nose at this point. I felt my eyebrow twitch.

“What kind of...” I grumbled. “Of _course_ you're supposed to wash it, dumbass! Do you realize how much sweat and dirt clings to these after just _one_ ride? And you mean to tell me that you've never _once_ even entertained the thought to clean it? Never mind, you are NOT putting that filthy thing in with my blanket.”

Eren wilted a bit at this. “I guess Mom probably used to wash my stuff. Before she...” He hesitated and flicked his gaze to the floor. “Before she died.” His voice was barely above a whisper.

 

Well, _shit_. I felt like a complete and utter asshole.

 

“No, look— it's fine.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Let's wash yours first, since you'll have to do more than one cycle to get all the grime out. You can borrow my soap— it's gentle on the fabric but should do the trick.”

Suddenly his hands were waving. “No, no! You go first! You're probably busy— I'll be here all day! I can do mine later!”

I was already pulling my saddle pad back out of the washer. “This is just my workout blanket. I have more, and I'll be back later anyway. Just wash yours now. I'll help you not fuck it up, ok?”

Eren nodded his head furiously, his brown hair falling over his eyes like curtains billowing in the wind. “Thank you, Captain Levi!”

 

It turned out the kid— _Eren_ , I reminded myself— wasn't half bad to talk to. Amusing, even. Granted, it took me twice as long to clean my own tack than it normally would have, but he was a fast learner. It was the least I could do after bringing back painful memories of his mother.

“So, _Eren_.” I tried to hide my amusement at his reddening ears. Damn, this was too easy. “How old are you, anyway? You can't still be in high school.”

His laugh was high and mirthful, and I found myself admiring the way his eyes crinkled in the corners. “No! God, how young do you think I am, anyway?” 

I swatted at his shoulder. “Hey, now. Once you're an old fart like me all you kids look like teenagers.”

Eren returned a playful nudge with his elbow. “Oh my god! you sound like such a grandpa. Not very becoming for someone who's...” He raised an eyebrow. “Twenty—?”

“Seven,” I finished for him. His eyes lit up at that.

“That's not old at all! I'll be 22 this year. We're only 5 years apart.”

“And you can do elementary level math! Move over, Einstein- there's a new genius in town.” I hoped he could detect the playfulness in my sarcasm. And I often wonder why people tend to avoid me. _Wonderful social skills there, Levi_.

He punched my arm with a little more force than should be considered friendly, but he was grinning. “Shut up! Like you were so great at school!”

“I was _valedictorian_ ,” I snorted, rubbing at a particularly tough spot on my bridle.

Eren's face paled, his hands hovering over his saddle. “...Really?” 

I felt myself give a wistful smile. “...It was a long time ago.” I cleared my throat, determined not to delve any further. “Anyway, I have to go pick up some stuff from the office. Don't forget about your blanket— you don't want to let it sit in he machine to get moldy and wrinkled. Just hang it out on one of the saddle racks to dry after the second cycle.”

 

I saw Eren nod in my peripheral vision as I stood to gather my tack. I turned to leave when I felt a calloused hand gently grip my wrist. “Um,” Eren began. He looked as if his hand had shot out of its own accord and he was debating what to say. His emerald eyes rose to meet my gaze. “...Thanks. For, uh, yeah. Everything.”

I snorted a laugh to mask the awkwardness. “No problem.”

 

I was rewarded with a dazzling smile that left me questioning a lot of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now, for the terms!
> 
> (1) Reminder that tack = saddle, bridle, reins, bit (metal piece that goes in the horse's mouth), saddle pad, whatever
> 
> (2) Dressage tests: set courses to be performed in competitions. Basically, this is the kind of diagram Levi would be studying (I promise it makes sense when you know what you're looking for, lol): http://www.stevera.com/dressage%201st%203%20Diag.jpg
> 
> (3) Western vs. English saddles: Eren and Levi ride in two different styles, of which the equipment is fundamentally different. Western saddles (W. endurance saddles are a subset of these) are like what you see with cowboys & rodeos. English saddles (dressage saddles are a subset of these) are simple yet fancy. To get an idea-
> 
> Eren's saddle (Western-endurance): http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c292/dreamt_of_love/Picture6.png  
> Levi's saddle (English-dressage): http://www.tylershorseandcountry.co.uk/images/photos/Saddle-Pad-02.jpg
> 
> I'll post pictures of other types of saddles as they come up in the story.
> 
> (4) Disclaimer- not all saddle pads are machine washable. Levi's show blankets require special care, but his workout saddle pads aren't fancy so they can just go in the washer. Eren's blanket is a simple one, too- but woven or padded Western saddle blankets CANNOT go in the washer. Just throwing it out there to preserve my equine street cred, lol
> 
> (5) I forgot to mention this last time, but I chose to call Levi "Captain" because "Corporal" would sound really weird for someone leading a dressage team. 
> 
> (6) I just wanna say that I am absolutely tickled at the image of Levi doing Pilates- but how do you think he got so flexible and awesome at stretching on a horse, hmm??
> 
> I will try to update at least weekly, hopefully faster? Maybe? I thought this was going to be short but the more ideas I jot down the more I realize this will be no shorter than 10 chapters. We'll see where it goes, then!! I hope y'all like it!! :D


	3. Scared of Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Mikasa act like typical siblings; we also get to hear some of Erwin's backstory.

_Eren_

 

“—And then he said that I have potential. _Potential_!” I ignored the way Mikasa was rolling her eyes at me as she brushed Steel off in the grooming area. 

The usual firecracker of a horse was practically falling asleep under the brush Mikasa rubbed over his shoulders and back. _She sure gives one hell of a back rub to people too_ , I thought, fond memories of my sister's maternal side momentarily chasing images of a certain attractive dressage champion from my mind.

 

“And why, exactly, were you out riding so early in the morning, _hmm_?” Her eyes narrowed at me suspiciously. _Damn, she should give the FBI some interrogation pointers_.

I busied myself with sweeping again, careful not to meet her scrutinizing gaze. “Oh, well, um,” I coughed as some dust became trapped in my throat. _Real smooth, dude._ “I just got the urge to ride, is all. It's the first morning in a long time I could actually ride without sweating my balls off!”

I almost snickered at the wrinkle in her nose. “ _Real_ cute, Eren.”

“But seriously,” I continued. “Captain Levi is just as amazing as they say. He looks like he was born up there.”

Mikasa shrugged and tossed the curry comb back in her brush box. “He's had a lot of training. I heard that he was practically born on a horse— started riding at 2 years old or something.”

I could feel myself practically melt into a giddy puddle at the thought of a tiny Levi atop a Shetland pony, or even a miniature horse. I would be embarrassed if I were talking to anyone but Mikasa or Armin right now. But, well. “That's not all! He's _really_ nice, too! He sat down and showed me how to clean tack and helped me wash my blanket—”

Mikasa frowned as she worked the soft brush over Steel's gray coat. “ _Nice_? That's not the first word that comes to mind when I think of Levi. Dude's got permanent bitchface.”

I waved my hands in front of her. “No, no! I mean, he looks that way _sometimes_ —” I ignored the pointed look Mikasa shot me and continued. “But underneath that grumpy exterior he's very kind!”

She hummed to herself before mumbling, “Yeah, the shorty was real 'kind' to me when he growled at me to get out of his way. You sure can pick 'em, kiddo.”

“Don't call me that!” I swatted at her petulantly. “You're not even a year older than me!”

She looked up to smirk from where she was now picking Steel's hooves. “It's all about the attitude. I'll stop treating you like a kid when you stop acting like one.”

 

I felt myself pouting again, but I knew better than to get into it with Mikasa. “So what are you working on today?”

Mikasa clicked her tongue and leaned into Steel's haunches, sliding her hand down his leg. The horse complied easily, picking his hind foot up and letting it rest on Mikasa's knee. She answered my question while carefully digging dirt out from the crevices in Steel's foot with the metal hoof pick. “Annie's meeting me out at the cross-country course. We're gonna spot each other over some of the more difficult jumps.” She dropped the hoof to the ground and moved to the other side.

“Annie, huh?” I replied, leveling a suspicious stare at the back of my sister's head.

“Yeah, she's really great at cross-country jumps. Oh! Did I tell you that we're both entering the Shiganshina Valley Eventing Competition? Whoever gets the lower score has to buy the other drinks.”

“Mm- _hmmm_ ,” I hummed, tone mocking. Ever the perceptive one, Mikasa shot a glare at me over Steel's back.

“Problem?” she growled. I could almost see her with raised hackles. 

I put my hands up in front of me in mock surrender. “Woah, woah! What's your deal? I didn't even say anything!” She tsked at me and went to pick the last hoof. Suddenly I was feeling brave. “Don't worry, Mikasa, I promise I'll be the best man at your wedding.” 

I was lucky I had quick reflexes because a soft brush just narrowly missed thwacking me in the head. Letting out a terrified giggle, I dropped the broom and sprinted down the empty aisle towards the fields, chancing a quick glance behind me. Mikasa stood in the middle of the aisle, waving her hoof pick like a dagger.

 

“EREN JAEGER, YOU COME SAY THAT TO MY FACE!”

 

By the time I reached the fence of the mare field, I was wheezing with laughter. _Oh man, I'm totally gonna pay for that one later_...

I took a moment to inhale the sweet midday air to work out the last of my jitters. Damn, Mikasa could be scary when she wanted to. I leaned against the fence and admired Freedom's stark white figure against the reddening trees as she stood grazing at a particularly lush looking spot of grass. Just then, Bertholdt's chestnut mare, Georgia, tried to sneak a few bites of the good stuff from around Freedom's haunches. 

I only had a split-second to think _uh-oh_ before Freedom pinned her ears and launched a swift rear kick to Georgia's chest. I winced at the sharp cry that sent a nearby flock of birds into the sky and watched Georgia retreat with her head hung low. Freedom continued to graze in peace, satisfied in her maintained status at the top of their field hierarchy. I had never given it much thought, but it seemed fitting that Freedom would be the “boss” of the mare field. Oddly enough, her hide was always free of blemishes and scratches, unlike the other horses. I supposed that was a testament to just how much power and strength she possessed.

 

Inevitably, my thoughts drifted back to her owner, wondering what he was doing at the moment. Mikasa and I had only been at this barn for a week now, and I had only ever caught passing glances at Levi entering or leaving Erwin's office. Today had been the first time I'd seen him ride in person (although I didn't want to admit how many hours of YouTube videos of his competitions I'd viewed), and it was nothing short of breathtaking. He was so composed, every muscle in perfect control— yet his movements were fluid and gentle, something I knew to be unusual in the world of equestrian competition. That was one reason I had never competed in anything horse related— the attitudes of my peers tended to turn defensive and downright nasty when a ribbon was on the line, not to mention the trend of mechanical movement and stiff, unyielding hands. It just wasn't my scene.

But as with Levi's style, I had also been enchanted by Erwin's mastery of a gentler type of dressage. I didn't know much about the specifics of dressage, but I could recognize a talented rider when I saw one. Erwin had competed in the Olympics twice— at Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004. I remembered keeping my eyes glued to any and all Olympic equestrian events as an 8- and 12-year-old while my mom patiently explained everything that was going on to me and Mikasa. Erwin had lead Team USA to get a bronze medal both years, though his individual ranking always fell behind the German, Spanish, and Dutch competitors. 

Everyone was sure that he'd finally get his own medal in Beijing, but during his training in 2007, he'd taken an almost deadly fall that put him in a 3-day coma and ended up costing him his right arm. As part of his recovery, Erwin had decided to retire from dressage competition and settle in the quiet countryside of Trost, where he eventually opened Trost Ridge Farm and began training a dressage team of his own.

Many of the younger crowd at the farm often speculated that Erwin was hoping Levi would qualify for the 2016 Olympics— though no one could dispute Levi's impeccable riding style, I wondered how it would be scrutinized by the subjective style of judging common to higher-level competition. Even Erwin had ridden with a martingale and a flash bridle in the Olympics, neither of which I had ever seen Levi utilize in his competitions. I wondered if it was something I could ask Levi about directly someday.

I shivered at the idea of being able to approach and even talk to Levi— something unfathomable up until today. It made my footsteps lighter as I hiked back up to the barn to finish the day's chores. 

 

When I piled on a little extra hay in Freedom's stall, I told myself it was simply because I had mistakenly taken too much from the bale outside and not because I was enamored with her owner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Chapter 3!
> 
> So my offer of virtual cookies still stands to anyone who can guess what the chapter titles refer to. Ughh this is so self-indulgent it's not even funny...
> 
> ANYWAY! FOOTNOTES!
> 
> (1) Cross-Country Course/Eventing: I've always wanted to do this, but my knees are arthritic and I can't. SO. This is basically a course of awesome jumps made from logs, tables, moats, whatever- all out in a field instead of a tidy little ring. And it's badass, so of course Mikasa and Annie are amazing at it. And I'm living vicariously through them.  
> Here's just one picture of a cross-country obstacle: http://www.localriding.com/image-files/cross-country-water.jpg
> 
> (2) Flash bridle: I can't think of a nice way to put this... (hint: I don't like them) It's a popular dressage bridle that basically clamps the horse's mouth shut- http://www.wyvernep.co.uk/ekmps/shops/wyvern/images/wyvern-padded-flash-bridle-5-p.jpg
> 
> (3) Martingale: A device to pull a horse's head down (again, I don't like these but they're popular in the equestrian world so blehhhh)
> 
> (4) Olympic rankings: So I went digging around for the actual Olympic rankings (I don't remember from that long ago) and reflected those here- both years mentioned, the US got bronze for the team but no individual US competitor got a medal either year. Just pretend Erwin was the captain of the team! haha
> 
> So I have about 6 full chapters written so far (that I need to edit and blah blah blah), and I don't really see an end in sight. Kind of a slow build, but I promise to pump up the Ereri in the next few chapters. Hope you like it!
> 
> Again, if you're confused about some horse terms or just wanna chat, leave a comment or message me at my SnK sideblog, levi-be-my-heichou.tumblr.com :)


	4. English Summer Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi gives Eren a shameless little show and Armin an impromptu lesson. Mikasa is less than thrilled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beep beep, look out kids- here comes the Ereri train~! Sorry guys this is gonna be a bit of a slow burn. But it'll pick up from here! Also I want to note that I was originally setting this around the current time of year- late winter/early spring- but then decided I wanted to write a Halloween chapter soon so now it's set in late summer/early fall (most of the best horsey stuff is in fall anyway imo). Some earlier comments about show season will be off, but I might edit those later. Oops!
> 
> On that note... although I have NO MONEY and I've been having legit panic attacks over finances lately, I want to dedicate this chapter to the horse I'm going to begin leasing-to-own sometime soon. HOLY SHIT, A HORSE OF MY OWN. I'VE ONLY WANTED THIS FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS. His name is Devon but I shamelessly/affectionately call him "Heichou" because he's the top dog of his field. If I end up buying him, I WILL change his name to Levi, even though he looks like a massive, black shaggy dog lol. HE ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE A LEVI AND I REALLY REALLY HAVE NO SHAME, OK.
> 
> Enjoy!!

_Levi_

 

As if I hadn't already been in a sour mood from some asshole who'd cut me off on the way to the barn, I felt myself seethe at the sheets of rain that pounded on the roof and walls around me. I had just finished tacking Freedom up when the downpour started, and a quick check of my phone confirmed my guess that it wouldn't just be a quick shower.

The indoor ring was currently being used for a lesson, though I hadn't bothered to check who was teaching. I left Freedom in the cross ties to peek around the corner. 

 

I could hear a soft yet firm feminine voice over the hoofbeats of what sounded like a sloppy attempt at a passage. Just as I'd predicted, Petra stood in the center of the claustrophobic indoor ring, dressage whip in hand tapping a steady beat against her boot as a petite blond (and notably red-faced) boy struggled to keep up on his little gray Quarter pony. I watched for a moment with a critical eye, a _tsk_ escaping my lips as the pony stumbled over its own feet and the boy lurched forward.

The blond boy's face whipped over to where I stood with my arms crossed, blood draining from his face until he was the same color as my horse. Petra threw me a contemptuous glance over her shoulder before returning her gaze to the boy.

“Why don't we take a little break, Armin?” The boy nodded, his hands visibly shaking. “Just walk two laps around, and I want you to stand in your stirrups on the short sides so you can stretch a bit.” She tossed her strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder before walking over to me, an annoyed frown clouding her normally cheerful face.

When she was close enough, I flicked at her forehead. “Don't stop on my account,” I teased as she swatted my hand away. “I was gonna ask if I can ride in here, but seeing as that kid will probably shit his pants if I set foot in the ring, I'll just wait until you're done.”

Petra rolled her eyes and returned her watchful eye back to the kid, who seemed to be determined not to make eye contact with either of us as he walked his horse around the ring. “You can come in if you don't mind an audience.” She nodded towards the bench at the top of the ring, where Eren and a vaguely familiar glowering Asian girl were seated. “I'm sure Armin would love to study your technique, too.”

I felt my lips tug into a small smirk as my eyes locked with Eren's, his face quickly flushing before looking down at his feet. I chuckled low in my throat and decided to take Petra up on her offer. “Well, if you _insist_.”

 

While the blond kid refused to acknowledge my existence out of embarrassingly obvious self-consciousness, I could sense Eren's eyes boring into me as I warmed up in the small ring with my catlike stretches. The black-haired girl kept trying to draw his attention away from me, but I experienced a strange swell of pride every time he ignored her elbow digging into his ribs in favor of watching me twist and turn my body into impossible angles. The younger man's attention was almost intoxicating, and a small part of my mind wondered what it would take to make those sea green eyes focus on me as if nothing else in the world existed. He was exchanging agitated whispers with the girl, and my subconscious was chanting _look at me, look at ME_. 

It was childish, but I was still feeling petulant over having to ride indoors in the first place. As I rounded the top of the ring closest to Eren, I dropped my stirrups and leaned forward into a two-point. I just managed to catch the sight of Eren's jaw dropping open, his harsh whisper dying on his lips mid-sentence while his eyes locked onto my ass. _Ha! Way too easy_ , I thought, allowing a smug little quirk of my lips to show. This was way too much fun.

Too bad Petra could be such a buzzkill sometimes. “Levi, why are you even doing a two-point right now? Are you suddenly switching to the jumper team?” I glared down at where she twirled her dressage whip, an amused glint in her eyes. 

I turned my nose up at her without dropping my position. “You should know that this is a core-building exercise, jumper or no.” My gaze slid over to the blonde boy, still pointedly avoiding my presence by staring down at his shaking hands. “Maybe your student should try this. He could use some more core strength to improve that shitty excuse for a passage earlier.”

Petra and black-haired-girl's heads both snapped towards me in unison, eyes equally aflame. “Levi!” Petra hissed. “Armin's just learning! Don't be so harsh with him!”

I slipped my feet back in the stirrups and sat down again, mildly amused at the tiny disappointed sigh that escaped Eren's lips. “Armin,” I started, waiting for the small boy's eyes to finally meet mine. “Wouldn't you want to learn any and everything that could help you improve your technique instead of being allowed to perform it incorrectly?”

Armin trembled for a moment, then something flashed in his giant blue eyes (what was it with these kids and their damn _eyes_?) that resembled steely determination. “Yes, sir!”

“Good, that's what I like to hear.” I could practically feel the waves of excited energy thrumming off of Eren, though the girl next to him was emitting some serious rage vibes at the moment. “Petra, do you mind?”

Petra sighed in frustration and threw her hands in the air. “Fine, fine, do what you want.”

 

“You can get into a two-point, yes?” Armin nodded. “When you drop your stirrups, you need to hold your upper body up using your core— no slouching or leaning allowed. Remember to keep the same center of gravity as you would with stirrups. Your heels should also still point down as if they were in the stirrups, knees bent.” I watched the cogs turning in the kid's brain as I spoke. “Don't rely too much on your knees to bear your weight— your thighs and core should be all you need. Now, show me what I just told you.”

I watched the boy slowly drop his stirrups, consciously keeping his ankles in position. He let his hands slide up his mare's neck as he leaned forward and up. I gave him a few seconds to adjust before sidling Freedom up next to his pony at a respectable distance. I hummed to myself as I looked him over. “Too far forward. Incorrect weight distribution. Hollowed back.” I tapped his back gently with my dressage whip, then moved it to push his shoulder open and back. Next, I tapped his wrists. “You're overcompensating for lack of stirrups by throwing most of your weight on her neck. I told you this is a core exercise, right?” The kid nodded. “Are you properly utilizing your core muscles?” A shake of the head. “So how should you fix it?”

Armin thought for a moment before straightening out his back and pulling his weight off of the mare's neck. His legs began to shake, but I watched him work through the process of identifying what needed to be fixed. It was subtle, but I was impressed to see him shift the weight from his knees to his thighs and core. He gave me a tentative glance and I replied with a curt nod.

“Remember what that feels like.” I began to walk Freedom forward again. “If you practice that for 10-15 minutes a day, your core will be rock solid in no time.”

“Y-yes sir!” Instead of looking back at the boy, I chanced a quick glance at Eren. Something akin to hero worship was glittering in his eyes, and my heart did an embarrassing little double-thump at the sight. _Well, shit_.

I cleared my throat. “Now do you want to see what a _real_ passage looks like?”

The kid's voice was even louder, more excited this time. “Yes, sir!”

 

—

 

I found Eren waiting for me at the gate after I finished my ride. Long after the mini-lesson I had given Petra's student, I had continued working through several tests I had memorized the night before in a comfortable silence. I didn't expect the mega-watt grin to greet me after my workout, especially since Petra and his two friends had cleared out a while ago.

“Good ride today?” Eren asked, still grinning from ear to ear.

I wiped the thin sheen of sweat from my forehead with a towel, wishing the fall chill would hurry the hell up. “It was alright.” I glanced up at him as he patted Freedom on the neck. “Was your friend ok? Petra said I was too harsh on him.”

Eren gave a soft, fond laugh that danced through my ribcage. The kid was doing funny things to me, and I wasn't sure if I was ok with that. “Armin's a lot stronger than people give him credit for,” he replied, just as softly. “He was thrilled to get advice from someone of your esteem.”

He walked on Freedom's other side as I led her around the corner to the cross ties. “Was that a hint of sarcasm I heard there, kid?”

He ducked down to look at me from below the curve of the mare's neck, his eyebrows knitted and hands waving. “No! That's not— I didn't mean—”

The genuine lilt in my laugh surprised even me. “You are way too easy.”

 

He pouted the whole way back to the grooming area and for the whole time it took me to relieve Freedom of her tack. His phone buzzed as I brushed my horse, an audible sigh following.

“Girlfriend?” I asked, the dark-haired raincloud from earlier crossing my mind.

Eren's face reddened almost instantaneously as he waved the phone around his head. “No! No, no, it's just Mikasa!” I raised an eyebrow. “The girl from earlier. She's my sister! Just my sister. I don't have a— I'm not, um, dating anyone. At all.” 

Wide, panicked eyes bore into mine and I let out an amused snort. “Chill out, kid. It's not like I asked you something personal, like if you've ever jacked off with your family in the house.” _So he_ could _turn a shade redder!_ Hanji would be proud the way I satisfied my curiosity by pushing the kid to embarrassment every chance I got.

“W—why would you even ask someone that?” he sputtered, jaw nearly anchored to the floor. 

I chuckled to myself. “I specifically said that I _wasn't_ asking you about your masturbatory habits, although that reaction tells me far more than I ever needed to know.” Eren looked like he would die right at my feet if I continued pushing his buttons like this. Tempting.

His phone buzzed angrily again, and relief washed over his face as he began typing furiously. “I, um.” He cleared his throat after the undignified squeak that escaped his lips. “I gotta, uh, go now.” He threw a sheepish grin in my direction before stuffing his phone back in the pocket of his jeans. “I'll uh, see you around?”

I refused to let myself look into those sea green pools again, in the interest of preserving my dignity. “Yeah, sure.” I heard his feet shuffle down the aisle and around the corner and decided to concentrate on cleaning Freedom up. It was still raining, which meant that I wouldn't have to hose her off. I hummed to myself as I turned her out and wiped down my tack, feeling oddly at ease despite the day's rocky start.

 

As I pulled on my rain jacket and slung my bag over my shoulder to leave, a soaked pair of sneakers came into view directly in my path. I let my eyes roam upward to find what looked like a sopping wet green-eyed puppy shifting his weight awkwardly from foot to foot, trying not to make eye contact.

“I, um, my car,” Eren began, wringing his wet hands. “My car won't start, and Mikasa and Armin are in class and I don't really know anyone else here right now...” His voice trailed off and he chanced a hopeful glance in my direction. _God damnit_.

I gave a dramatic sigh and narrowed my eyes at the pitiful sight. “Hurry up and change into something dry. There's no way in hell you're getting my truck wet.”

He gave me another mournful pout. “About that...” I must have looked pissed because Eren visibly shrunk back into himself. “I, uh, don't have any change of clothes...”

I thought for a moment. My clothes would definitely be too small for the tall ( _damnit_ ), lanky man, and Erwin's or Mike's would be way too big. Nobody else that I knew of kept clothes here. No one except...

I grabbed Eren's wrist and began to drag him towards the boarder tack room. “Fuck it, we're raiding Hanji's locker.”

“H-Hanji? Hanji Zoe? But she's—”

I threw a deadly glare over my shoulder at him. “Do you want a ride or not?” The terrified squeak sure sounded like agreement to me. “Granted, she's no fashionista, but we should be able to find something that fits.”

 

I slipped my riding gloves back on (you couldn't be too careful— I'd found a baby squirrel nestled in her locker before) and began to rummage through the pile of clothes. I eventually found a turquoise unisex tank top, a blue plaid flannel shirt, a clean-looking pair of jeans, and a pair of green socks, all of which I tossed at Eren. 

He stood, dumbfounded at the unfamiliar clothes in his hands, before lifting his gaze to meet mine. “Well? Hurry up and get dressed!” I snapped, no real malice in my tone. “I don't have all damn day.”

I watched Eren gulp, his eyes still wide and cheekbones tinged a lovely shade of pink. “Um,” he began, voice rough and unsure. “Could you, like, turn around while I change?”

“Oh, for fuck's sake.” I fixed him with a deadpan stare, but indulged him anyway. Why was I so disappointed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! I'll try to post the next chapter soon since it's kind of a cliffhanger? I guess? On to the terms!
> 
> (1) Passage - This is a dressage-specific gait that looks kind of like the horse is stomping its feet or hopping in place. I don't know a good way to describe it, so I'll just link to a video: http://youtu.be/xXsf5oCNY9k (This isn't the best example- I don't have an eye for dressage but even I can see how hollowed that horse's back is blah blah blah horse snob talk, you get the picture)
> 
> (2) Two-point - I felt it necessary to show a picture of this so you can understand why Eren would be gaping. It's the position for jumping, and it involves sticking your butt up in the air: http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/6966/maritimeeqofaq9.jpg (Also it is REALLY FUCKING HARD to do without stirrups so this is also a testament to Levi's canonical abs of steel. Just sayin')
> 
> Again, you can find the masterpost at levi-be-my-heichou.tumblr.com. Hope you liked it!!


	5. Taste in Men

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi gives Eren a ride in his big-ass truck. They go out for beer and talk about Halloween. It's not as awkward as it should be.
> 
> (Whoop whoop, all aboard the Ereri train!)

_Eren_

 

I tried to change into Hanji's clothes as quickly as humanly possible, but the rain had soaked through my own clothes completely. My shirt and jeans clung to my body like a second skin, and judging from the little chuckles coming from Levi's direction, my predicament was painfully obvious.

I tried to ignore the cringeworthy slap my sopping t-shirt made when it hit the floor, instead focusing on the clean scent of Levi's towel. The guy had more towels and cleaning products stashed away than a hotel, and I wondered if Erwin gave him his own personal storage closet to hold everything.

Once my torso and head were (mostly) dry, I was faced with the Herculean task of wrestling out of my wet jeans. After trying to keep my frustrated grunts and whines silent by biting my lip, I had to stop when the coppery taste of blood filled my mouth. My jeans were about halfway down my ass at this point, and a particularly loud groan escaped my throat as I tried tugging them down further.

 

“Would you like some help?” Levi drawled, fingers tapping the edge of the chair he sat in, facing towards the closed door.

I let out a strained, “No!” before he could finish and tried desperately to separate the wet denim from my legs. _Shit shit shit._

“I'm giving you 30 more seconds before I come over there and rip them off myself,” he growled. I let out another squeak and tried kicking them off. Before I knew it, the ground was rushing up to greet my face, and my hands flew out to break my fall at the last second.

“Jesus fucking _Christ_ , you're like an over eager 16-year-old about to lose his virginity on prom night. Relax.” Levi was towering over me (for once), arms crossed and lips turned up in an amused smirk.

I felt my face flush and groaned as he pulled me into a sitting position on the floor. “This is so fucking embarrassing,” I mumbled, conscious of Levi's cool hands on my wrists.

 

He hummed quietly, lulling me into a false sense of ease. Shock slammed into my lungs as those hands slid down to the legs of my jeans and whipped them off in one quick motion. I yelped in surprise, embarrassment, and a little bit of pain. Levi tossed the jeans aside disdainfully and fixed that unnerving stare back on me. “So will you need help with the boxers, too, or can I trust you to get those off yourself?” 

Judging from the immediate heat in my face and the amusement glittering in his eyes, I must have been a complete wreck. 

“I'm fine by myself!” I shrieked, pulling his towel over my legs to dry off.

He was laughing— _laughing!_ — now, the corners of his eyes crinkling and his nose scrunching up while he threw his head back. I was momentarily mesmerized by the sight of his exposed throat, until our eyes met again and I snapped back to reality.

“I told you I'm fine,” I whined, making a shooing motion with my hands. “Please just wait outside the door! I'll be out in a minute!”

He was still chuckling to himself as he stood to leave. “If you're not out in 2 minutes I'll assume you're naked and passed out on the floor with no choice but for me to call an ambulance.” 

I dragged my hands down my face in humiliation. “ _Levi!_ ”

“I'm going, I'm going!” he laughed, slipping through the door and closing it behind him.

 On the verge of death by embarrassment, I dried myself off and dressed in record time, only stubbing my toe against the table twice when trying to pull up Hanji's jeans. 

 

I made it back out into the hallway in just under 2 minutes, according to Levi. He gave me a quick once-over before nodding to himself and tugging at a stray strand of my damp hair. “Not bad, if I do say so myself.” 

I felt the heat rising to my cheeks again, but he turned towards the door to leave before I could say anything. He pulled his rain hood over his head and tossed me a massive blue rain jacket that looked like it belonged to a giant. “Erwin's,” he clarified, as I scrambled to wear it. The sleeves hung about 3 inches too long over my knuckles, the shoulders drooping halfway down my biceps and bottom reaching my knees. Levi let out another amused snort and something that sounded an awful lot like “ _Cute_ ”, but that could've just been wishful thinking and raindrops muffling his words. 

 I pulled the (giant) hood over my head and zipped up the jacket before following Levi to his massive silver pickup truck. He made me wait just outside the passenger side as he fitted a towel over the black leather seat, double checking that the rubber floor mat was also in place. It was hard not to think about how adorable he was just then— tiny frame standing on the step-ledge beneath the door while he fussed with the interior. 

He caught my gaze as he turned back around and scowled. “What? Hurry up and get your ass in here before Hanji's jeans meld to it.” I nodded my head and stepped forward obediently with a small smile while he scurried around to hop in the driver's side. 

“Don't put your greasy paws on anything,” he warned, turning the key in the ignition. A fast, catchy melody with a jarring guitar progression and melancholy vocals came over the stereo speakers as the truck jumped to life. I flinched at the volume and Levi sent me an apologetic glance as he turned it down. “Sorry, my music gets louder the more pissed off I am, and I was one more red light away from murdering someone this morning.”

I shook my head and laughed nervously. “Nah, it's cool. I kinda like it.”

Levi raised an eyebrow at me as he backed the truck out of the parking space. “Oh, do you now? You have good taste, then. This happens to be my favorite band.”

My interest piqued immediately, and I tried not to sound too eager when I asked, “Who is it?”

We began to head out the long gravel driveway. Levi hummed a few bars of the song to himself before answering. “Placebo.”

“I've never heard of them, but I like this song so far.”

Levi fixed an amused stare at me. “You can borrow this CD if you want. I have others I can listen to.”

I gripped the armrest separating us and grinned back at him. “Can I? I promise not to scratch it or break it or—”

He held up a hand and tilted his head away from me. “Jesus kid, did anyone ever tell you that you're basically a hyperactive puppy? Yes, you can borrow it. Don't let me forget.” We were now at the end of the driveway; he paused and glanced at me again. “Are you hungry? I could eat a whole fucking cow right now.”

I nodded, my bangs flinging some droplets of water into my eye. “Yeah, me too!”

Levi leaned back in his seat and began humming along with the song again. “Okay, then. I know a good place.”

 

—

 

“So have you submitted your Halloween costume idea to Erwin yet?” Levi watched me over the rim of his glass while he took another sip of his beer and waited for my reply.

My head tilted to the side. “Halloween costume?” My fingers curled around my own beer glass, sliding against the cool condensation there.

Levi's eyes widened slightly. “For the Halloween parade.” I gave him a blank stare. “You have to submit a costume idea for you and your horse to Erwin by next week so he can make sure there are no doubles of anything and so you have enough time to actually make a costume that doesn't look like shit.” 

“Next _week_?!” A few heads turned my way when my voice climbed an octave, but I ignored them. “It's only September still!”

Levi nibbled on a French fry, eyes glittering in amusement as he watched me begin to have a meltdown in the middle of the local burger joint. “The theme is 'Disney Movies', and participation is not voluntary. Even the dressage team is required to dress up, Erwin included.”

My mind scrambled to catch up with his words. “Wait, so—” I waved my hands around my head as if to shoo the confusion away. “You've already picked your costume? And it's Disney themed?”

A quiet smirk was all I got for an answer.

“And it has to be for me and my horse?”

Levi cracked his long neck from side to side, then his delicate wrists. I tried not to let my eyes wander as he spoke, but it was proving to be quite difficult. “Well, the basic rule is that your horse can't go as a horse. That is, you can't go as a cowboy on a horse, or a jouster on a horse, that kind of thing.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and fiddled with it as he continued. “Also, I'd suggest bringing 4 or 5 potential costume combinations to Erwin, especially so close to the deadline. Chances are your first few costume ideas will already be taken.”

I took another nervous gulp of my beer, thoughts racing but ultimately coming up blank. Frowning, I turned back to Levi. “What are you and Freedom going as?”

He _tsk'_ d at me with a playful smile. “That's another rule. It's a secret to everyone but Erwin.”

“Everyone?” I pouted at the thought that Mikasa and Armin couldn't help me make my costume.

“Everyone. Even your sister.” _Damn, is he a mind reader or something?_ Levi scooted his chair around the small round table and held out his phone to me. “Here's last year's show. The theme was 'musicals'." 

I nearly spit my drink out, but caught myself just in time at the dangerous flash in Levi's eyes. Without a word, I took his phone and began to scroll through the pictures.

 

“There were only about half as many of us than there are this year, so the theme was doable at the time.” Some of the costumes were more obvious than others— Erwin was the Phantom of the Opera, his horse Zeus painted like the keys of a giant organ; Petra was Glinda the Witch of the East and her horse Persephone was painted green and black to resemble Elphaba the Witch of the West from Wicked, complete with pointed hat. Auruo's wild hair could be nothing other than Sweeny Todd, his horse dressed as a gruesome victim. 

I paused at a picture of someone in a short, curly black wig, a corset, black satin panties, a garter belt, heels that could kill, and about 30 layers of gaudy makeup. The horse next to this person was unmistakably a Bashkir Curly chestnut, though he was decked out in a giant gold makeshift speedo and blonde toupee. Only one person on the farm owned a horse like this. I felt myself look up at Levi, wide-eyed. “Is this— no, it can't— but the horse...”

Levi's steel gray eyes glimmered with laughter, his chin resting on his hand and fingers curled over his mouth as if to keep from cracking up. “I see you've found Hanji's picture.”

“Isn't this Rocky Horror?” I asked, jaw still unhinged as I desperately searched for any hint of the boisterous woman I'd met once. “I can't even tell it's her— the horse was a dead giveaway though.” 

“She'd been planning to dress as Dr. Frankenfurter for _years_. It was actually Hanji who convinced Erwin to finally choose 'musicals' as a theme just so she could wear it. She even roped our friend Isabel into dressing as Columbia and her horse as Magenta so they could walk together in the parade.”

A crooked grin spread over my face, and I continued to flip through the pictures. When I got to the last one, I frowned. “Aren't there any pictures of you? I saw a few people and horses I didn't know, but...”

Levi tilted his head and smirked. “Oh no, I'm in there. You clearly didn't look hard enough.”

“What?” I cried out, flipping back through the pictures. I felt bad not being able to identify Levi, but then I decided it would be quicker to search for Freedom. “There's no way I would've—” 

My breath caught in my throat as I found a picture of the gorgeous white mare. Her mane had been curled and treated to look blonde, and her coat had a silvery sheen to it, with silver tassels hanging from her haunches in a precise pattern. Even her hooves were painted red in a deep V shape that resembled pumps. But standing next to her was a slender woman in a black flapper dress, straight black bob-cut wig, bright red lipstick, and— smoldering gray eyes.

I almost choked on my own saliva and fell out of my chair when I cried, “HOLY _SHIT_!”

Now Levi couldn't contain his laughter anymore, clutching his sides and putting his forehead on the table to hide his mirth.

I zoomed in on the picture even more, slack-jawed at the elegance and ferocity that was Velma Kelly from Chicago. I noticed that he'd painted his nails red to match his lipstick and pumps. He didn't even look cold in the frigid October air, even though his arms and legs were bared.

“Ok, kid, you can stop drooling now,” he teased, plucking the phone from my hands. I mourned the loss immediately and pouted back at him. He waggled a finger at me in a teasing motion. “It only happens once a year. Like some kind of rare shooting star— if you miss it, then tough shit.”

“What will you be this year?”

“I told you, it's a secret.”

“I won't tell anyone! I promise!” 

Levi _tsk'_ d and swatted at my head like he was disciplining a puppy. “You don't seem to understand how serious Erwin is about this shit. You think he's a tight-ass about other stuff? You haven't even scratched the surface.” I slouched down in my chair, pouting even more. “Besides,” he continued with a feral grin. “It's a lot more fun this way.”

 

—

 

Levi told me to wait a second when we pulled up to my and Mikasa's apartment complex while he fished around in the armrest console between the two seats. He pulled out a CD case titled "Black Market Music" and put the CD we'd been listening to inside. I thanked him profusely and assured him I'd protect it with my life.

He snorted and waved me off. “Yeah, yeah, whatever, kid. And don't feel obligated to like it or anything. It's not for everyone. I won't hate you if you don't.”

The rain had stopped by now, the asphalt glittering in the light of the street lamp and Levi's headlights like little diamonds scattered across the road. A bat flitted around above the street lamp frantically in search of moths, and I felt a smile tug at my lips. “I'm sure I'll like it, Levi.” Our eyes met for a brief moment, though his were unreadable as always. “Thanks again. For, well, everything.” I hopped out of the truck and slung my bag over my shoulder. “See you tomorrow!”

Levi tilted his head slightly, and I watched the shadows dance over his sharp features. “Goodnight... Eren.” 

My heart fluttered as if the moths under the light were dancing in my chest instead, and I forced myself to close the truck door. When I got to the bottom of our stairs, I turned to wave again, and he took that as his cue to head back out onto the main road and drive off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say, I couldn't resist the idea of Levi in sexy drag.
> 
> Also, no horsey terms this time! It's a Halloween miracle! I'm not gonna lie, I can't wait to post the Halloween chapters because they were my favorite to think of and write. I might fiddle around with them a little more since I rushed through everyone else's descriptions, but well. We'll see ;)
> 
> So I have this headcanon that if Levi lived in our world he would be obsessed with Placebo, because every single song of theirs reminds me of him. Every. Single. One. They even have one particularly lewd song called "Commercial for Levi". Also he kinda looks like Brian Molko from his Black Market Music/Without You I'm Nothing days. Just sayin'. 
> 
> The song they were listening to in the car was Special K. You should check it out- it's one of my favorites! (Although their music videos are all really really trippy and weird so I'd recommend an unofficial video or just audio track, lol)
> 
> Hope you liked it!!


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